IMRA November 20, 2005

Home Front Commander demands to urgently receive NIS 70 million (USD 15 million) to complete Qassam alert system, reinforce houses of communities surrounding Gaza Ronny Sofer

We urgently need NIS 70 million (about USD 15 million) in order to complete an alert and warning system against Qassam rockets and to protect buildings in the communities surrounding Gaza, Home Front Commander Major-General Yitzhak Gershon said Sunday.

Gershon spoke during an emergency discussion held by the Ministers’ Committee for the Negev and the Galilee.

The budget deficit the Home Front commander referred to relates to the completion of siren and public address components in the “Red Dawn” alert system.

In addition, the funds are needed for immediate reinforcement of education institutions in the communities surrounding Gaza, from Kerem Shalom in the south, through Sderot, up to Moshav Nativ Ha’asara.

Following many cutbacks, the government agreed on a budget of NIS 210 million (about USD 47 million) for the protection of the communities, within three years. Of this amount, approximately NIS 85 million (about USD 19 million) have been allocated so far.

However, in light of the difficult security reality in the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, immediate additional investments are demanded in order to protect the residents’ lives.

Peres to talk to PM

Vice Premier Shimon Peres, chairman of the ministers’ committee, said at the start of the emergency discussion that “We cannot accept a situation in which the State of Israel evacuated Gaza but neglected to defend the communities surrounding Gaza.”

“They are entitled to full defense and an advanced-technology alert system. The ministers’ committee headed by me will use all the means at its disposal in order to immediately transfer another NIS 70 million,” he said.

Uri Naamati, head of the Eshkol regional council, said during the discussion that “The problem is not the speed of implementing the protection projects. The problem is the transfer of funds. The residents feel that they have been abandoned and that their security has been neglected.”

Major-General Gershon agreed with him and told the ministers that the protection operations in about one-third of the area have not been completed yet.

“Although the State of Israel defined the projects as a high priority, the government did not transfer the funds required for its completion. Due to the urgency, we immediately need approximately NIS 70 million,” he said.

At the end of the discussion, Peres said that he would approach the prime minister on the issue already on Sunday. He promised to also talk to the finance and defense ministers in order to locate the funding sources for protecting the wellbeing of the residents of communities surrounding Gaza, who are being threatened by Qassam rockets and mortar shells.

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